EPT Baden: These boys are in a hurry

The cards have been in the air for little more than 30 minutes, and already we have lost two players. With blinds starting at 6,000-12,000 some of the shorter stacks had to make a move, and for Peter Gould and Marcus Golser it did not work out.

Gould, who works as a venture capitalist in London, was first to get his coat. Peter Eichhardt made it 40,000 to go from the button, Gould moved over the top all in for his 170,000 or so chips.

Eichhardt called with A-9, and Gould had no monster to take him on with. Instead he showed Q-10, although it gave him just over a 40% chance of hitting and doubling up. The board - 6-4-6-2-J - failed to deliver, however, and Gould leaves with €18,867.

A few moments later, Austria's Marcus Golser was also walking forlornly out of the door. He moved all in from the button with 10-10 and was called by Thang Duc Nguyen's A-J. The ace slapped down on the flop, leaving the local boy to make the short journey home, also with €18,867.

Ben Johnson, a pro player from New York, is a cash game specialist, but proved he is no tournament mug to get this far. He was big in chips at the start of today, but has met with resistance each time he made a move so far. In quick succession he raised with three hands, only for Peter Eichhardt, Thang Duc Nguyen and Daniel Dodet to come over the top, forcing a fold.

And Argyris Argyrou was also forced to lay down to Jonas Molander. He made it 40,000 on the button, and Molander re-raised to 100,000. Argyris called and the flop came Q-T-7. Molander moved all in and Argyris went into the tank. "Do you want me to call?" he asked, not really expecting a reply. He then folded, showing A-10. "I really think I folded the best hand," he added. "I wanted to call instantly." But it was too expensive to find out.